Re: [Swprograms] 20% of people listen to online radio at work...says Arbitron/Edison

["Richard Cuff" <rdcuff@xxxxxxxxx>]

In the days before relays, when most broadcasting towards North America was direct from Europe, I suspect the logic was that the local evening reflected the best propagation opportunity from Western Europe.

Back in that day, shortwave *was* a prime-time activity.

Until recently, RNW beamed to North America local mornings, weekend afternoons, and local evenings.  They found little interest in the weekend afternoon airing.  While the morning service - launched in 2001 after the BBC vacated their morning service - was initially well received (figuratively and literally) - apparently there wasn't enough interest to justify the expense.

I know many bemoan the lack of spontaneity nowadays - shortwave listening used to involve a "Hobson's Choice" -- you could pick any color Trabant you wanted, as long as it was blue -- or, you were limited to what was on the air and what propagated well at the time you wanted to listen.

One can still do that, of course...whether via shortwave or live webcast...but I would much rather make that choice actively rather than passively.

To me that's progress.

Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA  USA

On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 1:35 PM, Joe Buch <josephbuch@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I have always wondered why, when most SW broadcasters targeted North America, they selected to
beam here in what the TV folks call "prime time" when the competition from network TV, dinner, and
family obligations was greatest.  I often found it more convenient to listen to programs from
Moscow that were beamed to Western Europe for example.

That problem is sort of moot now as very few bother to target NA any longer. In 25 minutes at 1800
UT I plan to tune in RAE Argentina on my Compaq laptop receiver with 15 inch color display.

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